Just like flares, cockroaches and Tony Blackburn, some things never die; this third entry in the Broken Sword series hopefully means the good old graphic adventure is making a comeback. It was created by Sierra and perfected by LucasArts but unfortunately UK developer Revolution is the only company still making them like they used to--although this all-new title features direct controls, instead of point and click, and even Shenmue-style Quick Time Events. The plot in The Sleeping Dragon revolves around yet another ancient threat to the world, this time related to the mysterious (and real) Voynich Manuscript, which may or may not contain the secret to eternal life. Needless to say it's up to the game's hero George Stobbart and his long-term associate Nico to stop the bad guys from prevailing, and this they do by solving a long stream of logic puzzles ranging from getting into a locked room armed with only a press card to waking up an unconscious Australian before he falls off the side of a cliff. Even though the game is not controlled with the mouse the interface is extremely easy to use, with four main context-sensitive buttons used in conjunction with your inventory. It won't be to everyone's taste--those with a taste for arcade action may get bored quite quickly--but it all works well and has excellent graphics. It's a real game to watch this winter. --David Jenkins